Feeding mechanism



Patented Dec. s, 1921.

UNITED s'rMlazs WILLIAM I'. LYNCH, OF- B LOOMFELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR '10 IPEEIBJIZIESS TUBE C0., F BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FEEDING MEcILANlsM.

Application mea september 14, 192e. serial No. 135.468.

l slugs gravitationally feed in a predeter-v mined position, ltogether with means operable by a moving part of the'machine. for ejecting therefrom or righting certain of the slugs wh'iclr are fed out of said desirable or predetermined position.

As a further object the invention comprehends ax feeding mechanism of the character set forthlwhic'h is extremely simple in its construction and mode of operation, which is inexpensive to manufacture and install upon the machine with which it is used, and

which is thoroughly reliable and highly eicient in its purpose.

IVith the above recited and other objects in view, referencev is had to the following Aspecification and accompanying drawings in which thereis exhibited one example or embodment of the invention which isin noway intended as a limitation upon the scopo of the appended claims as it is to be clearly understood that variations and modifications which properly fall within the sco e of said claims may be .resorted to when ound expedient. In the drawingsv Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a machine equipped with the improved feeding mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view mately o'n the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional .view tthrough the righting and ejecting means;

Fig. 4 is a fra mentary sectional view taken approximate y on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. v Referring to the' drawings by characters of reference, A designates generally a machine for operating upon slugs of material, which includes movable and stationary punch die elements Bl and C, the former-be- Vtherethrough in stack or coluinn formation.

-ed at G1 and G2, the tube or guide 11 intertaken approxi- 'which surrounds the shank 19.

gages with'the slugs G, -whch are in the 110 ing carried Jand actuated by the punch gate D, which in turn is driven Vlfrom a crank shaft E by a pitman F.

The feeding mechanism constituting the present invention consists of a hopper 10, which is preferably mounted upon punch gate D for vertical movement therewith,

and whichis adapted to contain-a supply of slugs G. A vertical feed element or'tube 11 is mounted by a suitable clampin device 12 upon a stationary part H o the machine, with its upper end extending through theibottom of the hopper and its lower end disposed in slightl spaced relation above the bed plate I o; the machine, the said upper end being so ositioned that v upon 'vertical' movement of t e hopper the slugs are induced to feed into the upper end of the tube 0r element 11 and to gravitate 'is In practice, it has been found that the great majority or a large percentage of the slugs' fall in a desirable predetermined positioi as illustrated, while the remainder assume various positions illustrated at-G1A and Gr2 in Fig. 3. A

In order to provide means for either righting or ejecting the misplaced slugs illustratmediatevits ends is formed with diametrically opposed slots or openings 13 and 1.4. Mounted upon the bed plate I of the machine is the usual inger'feed slide J and feed finger K carried thereby whichA is reciproeated by .a bell crank motion L imparted thereto by a suitable rod M from the crankA shaft E of the machine Mounted upon the finger feed slide J, is an upstanding bracket ,15, in the upper end of which a bearing sleeve 16 is arran ed. The bearing sleeve 96 has mounted therem for sliding movement; a tine 17 having a pointed outer extremity or terminal 18 and a reduced shank'19 at its inner end which forms a shoulder 20 at its juncture with the main body of thetine. An adjustable abutment element 21 is attached at the inner end of the bearing sleeve 16 and `between said abutment and the shoulder 20 a coiled expansion spring 22 is disposed In operation, as the finger feed slide re- -ciprocates, the tine moving therewith is projectedithrough the 'openings 13. If the pointedextremity" or terminal 18 thereof endesirable predetermined position, the movement of the tine is arrested while the sleeve 16 continues to move, -com ressing or contracting the spring 22. f, however, the pointed terminal or extremity 18 encounters a slug in the position illustrated at G1, the slug will be righted or turned to the desirable predetermined position to the remainder of the stack. VIf the terminal 18 of the tine encounters a slug in the position illustrated at G2, it is obvious that the said slug will be ejected from the guide element or tube ll through the opening 14. Under this arrangement, it is obvious that a feed mechanism has been devised which insures the delivery of the slugs G in the desirable predetermined or proper position for feeding to the die elements B and C by a feed finger K.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for feeding slugs by gravity in a column, and automatic means for righting inispositioned slugs in the column or ejecting said mispositioned slugs therefrom.

2. In a machine for operatin upon sin of material, a substantially vertical feed element through which the 'majority of the slugs gravitationally feedf in a usual or predetermined position, and means operable by a moving part of the machine for ejecting therefrom or righting certain of the slugs which are disposed out of said usual or predetermined position.

3. In a vmachine for operating upon slugs of material, a substantially vertical tubular feed element through which the majority o1 the slugs gravitationally feed in a usual or predetermined position, land means operable y a moving part of xthe machine for ejecting therefrom slugs which are dis d out of said usual or predetermined position.

4. The combination with a machine for operating upon slugs fed by gravity in a stack or column, of mechanism for insuring delivery thereof in a predetermined position to the operating elements of the machine, said mechanism including means for righting or ejecting certain of the slugs which are disposed out of said predetermined position.

stack or column, of mechanism for insuring delivery thereof in a predetermined position to the operating elements of the machine,

said mechanism including means for righting or ejecting certain of the slugs which are disposed out of said predetermined position, the righting or ejecting means consisting of a spring-pressed yieldable tine tensioned by said spring, yieldable when engaging the slugs arranged in the predetermined position and tensioned by said spring against yielding when engaging the misplaced slugs, whereby to effect their righting or ejection.

6. The combination with a machine for operating upon slugs, of a mechanism for automatically feeding the slugs in proper position to the slug-operating means of the machine, said mechanism comprising a slug hopper and' a vertical feed tube extending into the hopper, said hopper 'and feed tune mounted for relative vertical movements whereby the slugs are gravitationally fed through the feed tube, said feed tube having diametrically disposed openings extending longitudianlly thereof, and a device movable through one of the openings for ejecting through the other opening certain of the slugs disposed in a Wrong position and for turning other of the slugs from a wrong to a righted position.

7. The combination with a machine for operating upon slugs, of a mechanism for vautomatically feeding the slugs in proper position to the'slug-operating means of the machine, said mechanism comprising a slug hopper and a yertical feed tube extending into the hopper, said hopper and feed tube mounted for relative vertical movements whereby the slugs are gravitationally fed through the feed tube, said feed tube having diametrically disposed openings extending longitudinally thereof and a device movable through one of the openings for ejecting through the other opening certain of the slugs disposed in a Wrong osition and for turning other ,of the slugs fl'iom a wrong to a righted position, said device including tensioned means yieldable when engaging slugs disposed in the proper position.

/ WILLIAM F. LYNCH. 

